A table saw is a power tool used to cut a workpiece to a desired size or shape. A table saw includes a work surface or table and a circular blade extending up through the table. A person uses a table saw by placing a piece of wood or other workpiece on the table and feeding it past the spinning blade to make a cut.
Table saws are typically constructed so that a user can adjust the angle or tilt of the blade relative to the table in order to make beveled or angled cuts. Some table saws include hand wheels that a user turns to tilt the blade. Other table saws include a clamp to hold the blade at a specific angle relative to the table. In those saws, a user changes the blade's tilt by releasing the clamp, manually tilting the blade to a desired position, and then performing some specific action to re-engage the clamp, such as tightening a knob or moving a lever.
This specification discloses tilt mechanisms that enable a user to tilt the blade easily and intuitively, that provide an auto-lock feature, and that provide defined and incremental positions for the blade.